Filing box



Dec. 28,' 1943. H. H. HUGHES FILING BOX Filed Aug. 2. 1940 INVENTOR.

Q5 l A HH @wfg Patented Dec. 28, 1943 assisi UNITED STATS ATENT OFFICE FILING BOX Harry H. Hughes, St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,536

12 Claims.

This invention relates to le boxes and it is an object of my invention to provide an inexpensive book-like file box for periodicals, maps, newspapers and the like, which may be shipped flat and subsequently easily assembled into a rigid le of attractive appearance.

In general, these objects are accomplished by providing a file box formed of moderately stiff cardboard consisting of two elements. The inner element is formed from a rectangular piece of cardboard into a rectangular box-like structure having open ends by creasing the cardboard parallel to its shortest dimension at suitable points and gluing the ends together. The outer element is formed of similar material and is creased to fold around the inner element. The ends of the outer element are provided with flaps adapted to be tucked into an open end of the inner element. The inner element does not have rigid reinforcements at the corners and may, therefore, be collapsed. After assembly, however, collapse of the inner element is prevented by the action of the flaps on the outer element. My le m-ay, therefore, be shipped at and easily assembled at its destination without the use of glue or special tools into a rigid le box.

Other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description and from the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an exploded view showing the general configuration and relationship of the component parts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my assembled file box; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

My le box consists of an inner element generally designated II, and an outer element generally designated I2, which may be formed from a variety of semi-rigid materials such as solid kraft or ordinary cardboard, lined cardboard, cloth covered cardboard or covered corrugated paper board. The inner element I I is formed from a rectangular blank of such material and comprises a' flange section i3, a side I 4, a top I5, a side I6, and a base I'I. To construct this element, the blank which is originally flat, is creased along a line designated I8, parallel to an end I9 and spaced therefrom a distance approximately equal to one half of the desired width of the inner element. Another crease 2l is formed parallel to the first crease I8 and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the desired height of the inner element. A third crease 22 is formed parallel to the second crease 2| and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the desired width of the inner element II. A fourth crease 23 is formed parallel to crease 22, the distance between creases 22 and 23 being substantially equal to the distance between creases I8 and 2l. The distance from crease 23 to end 2e is made substantially equal to the distance between creases 2I and 22,

The inner element I I is assembled into its final form by folding the blank inwardly at each of the creases and fastening the flange section I3 to the base I l by glue or other suitable means. As no reinforcement is used at the corners, the inner element may be folded into a llat section by moving the side I6 parallel to the side I4 until the two sides are in contact, thereby permitting shipment in a flat condition.

'.Ihe outer element I2 is also formed from a substantially rectangular blank, the width of this blank being purposely made somewhat greater than the overall height of the inner element so that the assembled file will closely resemble a book. The width of the blank adjacent to each end, is reduced to dene, in conjunction with creases 26 and 21, flaps 28 and 29, the Width of the blank being made substantially equal to the distance between creases I8 and 2I on the inner element. The creases 26 and 2l are spaced inwardly from the respective ends of the blank, a distance slightly in excess of the width of the inner element and are parallel to the ends of the blank. Another crease 3l is formed parallel to crease 26 and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the depth of the inner element, dening a side 32. A crease 33 is formed similarly with respect to crease 2'I, dening another side 34 of the outer element. Greases 3l and 33 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the overall Width of the inner element II, and denes the back 3S, which may be decorated or treated upon its external surface to closely resemble the back of a book.

The outer element I2 is preferably covered or printed with some design on its o-uter surface to present a pleasing appearance after assembly. The exterior portion of the back 36 may be printed, embossed, decorated by the silk screen process or provided with a suitable label to indicate the contents of the le, or an opening may be formed therein suitably positioned to reveal the title of the book or magazines within the le, the outline of such an opening being designated by the dot-` ted line 35 in Fig. 1.

In shipment, the inner element may be collapsed in a manner previously described and the outer element folded at, thereby making a compact parcel for shipment. Upon arrival at its destination, the file may be easily assembled by placing the nap 23 in an open end of the inner element II, folding the outer element I2 around the inner element il and finally inserting the other nap 29 in the same open end of the inner element as flap 2B. As the naps 28 and 29 are purposely formed with a width in excess of the Width of the inner element, unintentional withdrawal of the naps is prevented. These naps, after being folded into the inner element, prevent collapse of the le and impart rigidity to the structure. It is to be noted from Fig. 3 that the flaps 28 and 29 are of suicient length that, when they are brought together inside the inner element Il, an acute angle is formed between the flaps on the side facing the open end of the box. The naps also hold the sides 32 and 34 of the outer element I2 snugly against the sides I4 and I6 of the inner element II, providing in effect a double wall section which greatly increases the strength and durability of my file.

Due partially to the inherent resiliency of the materials used to form the outer element I2, and partially to the Width of the sides of the inner element I I the naps 28 and 29 Will tend to spring inwardly towards each other within the inner ele.. ment, except, of course, when the le is completely filled. As shown in Fig. 3, this action of the naps tends to hold the contents of a partially lled le in a vertical position and also tends to hold the contents in place when the le is accidentally tilted.

Certain of the details mentioned in the foregoing description may be modified. For example, it is not essential that the outer element I2 have a height greater than that of the inner element, although it is believed that this contributes to the appearance of my iile. Likewise, the aps on the end of the outer element I2 are not necessarily integral therewith, but may be attached by tape or other suitable means.

The utility of my le appears to be obvious from the foregoing description. Magazines, books, maps, papers, bulletins, recipes, pictures, correspondence, and the like, which would ordinarily be piled on library shelves in horizontal position may be placed in my file and be retained in vertical position, thereby greatly increasing the accessibility of the material, economizing on storage space and improving the appearance. It is also apparent that my file is not only economical to manufacture, but also is easily assembled by unskilled purchasers and users, Without the use of glue or other fastening means. Economy of materials is effected by the use of rectangular blanks, which may be cut and formed Without waste.

The foregoing detailed description has been made in compliance with section 4888 of the Revised Statutes, but I do not wish to be specifically limited to all of the details herein set forth, as obviously certain modifications may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A file box comprising a box-like inner ele-` ment having open ends, the depth of said element being greater than its width, a separate outer element adapted to fold around the inner element and close one open end, and flaps on the extremities of the outer element, each of said naps having a Width greater than the width of the inner element, said flaps folding into the open end of the inner element and cooperating with the inner element to retain the two elements in rigid relation.

2. A file box including a rectangular box-like inner element being open at least at one end, the depth of the element being greater than its Width, an outer element adapted to partially enclose the inner element, the unfolded length of the outer element being greater than the sum of twice the depth plus three times the width of the inner element, and flaps inte-gral with the ends of the outer element adapted to extend into the open end of the inner element leaving the one end of said element open.

3. A file box including a rectangular inner element having open ends, a separate outer element partially enclosing the inner element, and means integral with the outer element cooperating with the inner element for maintaining the elements in assembled relation, said means including flaps formed on each end of the outer element adapted to be folded into an-open end of the inner element, the Width of the flaps being greater than the width of the open end of the inner element but less than the depth of said element whereby accidental withdrawal of the flaps is prevented.

4. A le box for ling a plurality of loose pamphlets and the like, consisting of only two box-forming elements, one an inner element of rectangular cross section having open ends, and the other an outer element folding around the inner element, covering one open end of the inner element, and having naps folding into the uncovered end of the inner element; said flaps being wide enough, each wider than half the Width of the opening, so that under influence of their resilient tendency to unfold they will strike one another and prevent the box from accidentally coming apart and, if a thin pamphlet or the like is in the box, will strike opposite sides thereof and hold it upright; the depth of the box being suicient to receive the flaps each lying flat against the Wall of the inner element around which it is folded.

5. A le box comprising an inner box-like element of rectangular cross-section having open ends, the depth of the inner element being in excess of its width, and a separate outer element folding around the inner element and closing one of the said open ends, said outer element having a nap on each of the opposite. ends thereof folding into the uncovered end of the inner element, each of the aps being wider than the open end of the inner element and cooperating with the inner element to retain the elements in rigid relation.

6. A le box comprising an inner box-like element of rectangular cross-section having open ends, an outer element folding around the inner element so as to cover one of the open ends of the inner element, said outer element having a flap on each of the opposite ends thereof folding into the uncovered end of the inner element, each of the naps being Wider than one-half the width of the open end of the inner element so that the two flaps coact to retain each other within the inner element, thereby retaining the inner and outer elements in rigid relation.

'7. A file box comprising an inner box-like element of rectangular cross-section having open ends, and an outer element folding around the inner element so as to cover one of the open ends of the inner element, said outer element having a ap on each of the opposite ends thereof folding into the uncovered end of the inner element, the two flaps being of suilicient width to contact each other before they enter the plane of the open end of the inner element so as to retain each other within the innerelement, thereby retaining the inner and outer elements in rigid relation.

8. A file box comprising an inner element of rectangular cross-section having open ends, an outer element folding around the inner element and covering one open end of the inner element, said outer element having a flap on each of the opposite ends thereof folding into the uncovered end of the inner element, said flaps each being wider than one-half the width of the open end of the inner element and of sulicient width to coact with the other while the angle formed between their faces facing the open end of the inner element is an acute angle so as to retain each other within the inner element.

9. A le box of board-like material comprising a box-like element of rectangular oro-ss section having spaced parallel side walls connected substantially at their top and botto-m edges by spaced top and bottom walls, the front and back being open substantially throughout, the depth of the side walls, measured from the front to the back of the element, being in excess of the distance between the side walls, an outer element connected to one Side of the box-like element and including a back portion extending across the back of said box-like element and having integral therewith a side portion extending along the opposite side wall of the box-like element from the back to the front of the box-like element, and an integral flap on the free end of said side portion projecting beyond the side portion a distance greater than the distance between the side walls but less than the depth of the side wall and adapted to fold into the open front of the boxlike element to form a sturdy box.

10. A le box of board-like material comprising a collapsible box-like element of rectangular cross section having spaced parallel side walls connected substantially at their top and bottom edges by spaced top and bottom walls along fold lines, the front and back being open substantially throughout, the depth of the side walls measured from the front to the back of the element being in excess of the distance between the side walls, an outer element connected to one side of the box-like element and including a back portion extending across the back of said box-like element and having integral therewith a side portion extending along the opposite side wall of the box-like element from the back to the front of the box-like element, and an integral ap on the free end of said side portion projecting beyond the side portion a distance greater than the distance between the side walls but less than the depth of the side wall and adapted to fold into the open front of the box-like element to form a sturdy box.

11. A iile box for receiving magazines or the like made of semi-rigid or rigid board-like Inaterial comprising a box-like element of rectangular cross section having spaced parallel side walls connected substantially at the top and bottom edges by spaced top and bottom walls and collapsible to a flat form along fold lines, at least the front of the box-like element being opens the depth of the side walls measured from the front to the back of the element being in excess of the distance between the side walls, an outer element also collapsible to at form along fold lines connected to one side of the box-like element and having a back portion adapted to extend across the back of said box-like element and having integral therewith a side portion extending along the outside of the opposite side wall of the boxlike element from the back to the front of the box-like element, and a flap on the free end of said side portion adapted to fold into the open front of the box-like element, and engaging the box-like element in such a manner as to maintain the two elements in rigid relationship while the Open side of the box-like element is maintained open and accessible for the passage therethrough of magazines and the like into and out of the box-like element.

12. A book-shaped iile box of board-like 'material comprising a collapsible box-like element of rectangular cross section having spaced parallel side walls connected substantially at the top and bottom edges by spaced top and bottom walls along fold lines, the front and back being open substantially throughout, the depth of the side walls measured from the front to the back of the element being in excess of the distance between the side walls, and an outer element including a pair of side portions and a back portion, the side portions being coextensive with the depth of the collapsible box-like element, the back portion being substantially coextensive with the open back of the collapsible box-like element, the outer element being adapted to fold around the collapsible box-like element substantially closing the open back of said element, and a, ap on the front edge of each side of the outer element adapted to fold into the open front of the collapsible box-like element and to engage the box-like element in such a manner as to maintain the two elements in rigid relationship while the open side of the box-like element is maintained open and accessible for the passage therethrough of pamphlets and the like into and out of the box-like element.

HARRY H. HUGHES. 

